Valve for dispensing fluid



June 1965 G.-FURUTANI 3,191,817

I VALVE-FOR DISPENSING FLUID Filed Oct. 28, 1963 24 '2 2 2J- Z I:

INVENTOR. 650,665 @fum/w v BY United States Patent 3,191,817 VALVE FOR DISPENSING FLUE George Furutani, Fair Lawn, N.J., assignor to Shulton, Inc., Clifton, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 319,172 4 Claims. (Cl. 222394) The present invention relates to receptacle and valve assemblies for dispensing fluids by means of a gaseous medium confined within the receptacle to selectively foam, whip or aerate the fluid to a desired consistency and, more particularly, to an arrangement which assures proper functioning of one of such valves disclosed in my joint 00- peuding application bearing Serial No. 319,171, filed October 28, 1963.

In FIGS. 1 to 7 of the above-mentioned application a valve is illustrated which essentially comprises a tubular valve body having a first inlet, an outlet, and a second inlet, a valve member slidably and rotatably disposed in the valve body having an arrangement of openings therein for selectively establishing fluid flow between the outlet and the first and second inlets when the valve is opened; a siphon or dip tube connected to the first inlet; and a' dispensing nozzle connected .to the outlet and connected to the valve member for rotating the same to select the opening for connection to the outlet.

While operating the valve, the receptacle is tilted, so that the outlet of the nozzle faces downwardly. Thus, when the receptacle is almost empty, the contents thereof are at the side of the receptacle from where the dispensing 3,191,817 Patented June 29, 1965 vide the valve inlet. The cup-shaped section 16 has an opening 19 and a valve seat 20 surrounds the downstream side of the opening 19. The tubular member has a side inlet 21 for gaseous medium in the receptacle, located between the openings 17 and 19. The valve further comprises a valve member 22 for controlling the discharge of the fluid, means 24 for operating the valve member 22, and a spring 25 for maintaining the valve in a closed position (FIG. 1).

The valve member 22 has isolated upper and lower tubular portions 26 and 27, respectively, an intermediate flange portion 28 for engaging the seat 20, a side opening 29 in the upper tubular portion 26 just above the flange portion 28, and a side opening 30 in the lower tubular portion 27 just below the flange portion 28 for establishing fluid flow communication between the upper and lower tubular portions 26 and 27 when the flange portion 28 is unseated, as seen in FIG. 2.

In order to selectively establish fluid flow communication between the inlet 21 and the valve seat 20, the valve member 22 is rotatably mounted in the tubular member 15 and the lower tubular portion 27 of the valve member has a side opening 31 for establishing fluidflow communication between the inlet 21 and the side opening 30.

The valve operating means 24 is a head secured to the upper end of the upper tubular portion 26 of the valve nozzle extends and away from the lower end of the dip tube. This creates a difiiculty in dispensing the entire contents of the receptacle.

1 Accordingly, an objectof the present invention is to provide an arrangement whereby the lower end of the dip tube is positioned at the side of the receptacle in which the nozzle outlet is facing, and where the fluid is present, so that the receptacle can be emptied completely.

Another object is to provide such an arrangement which issimple, practical, an economical.

Other and further objects will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a receptacle equipped with a valve in accordance with the present invention with the valve closed and positioned to dispense fluid of a normal consistency.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but with the valve open and positioned to dispense fluid of a lighter consistency.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, there is shown an assembly which generally comprises a receptacle 10 containing a fluid to be dispensed therefrom by a gaseous medium under pressured confined within the receptacle and having an opening 11 at the top thereof, a valve 12 for controlling the discharge of the fluid from the receptacle, and a closure 14 for the opening 11 having the valve mounted thereon.

The valve 12 comprises a body which includes a stepped tubular member 15 secured within an inverted cupshaped section 16 of the closure 14. The tubular member 15 has an opening 17 at its lower end for receiving the fluid through a valve member and a siphon or dip tube 18 extending to the bottom of the receptacle to promember 22 and having a radially extending nozzle 32 formed with a passageway 34 in fluid flow communciation with the tubular portion 26 which provides the valve outlet. The head, when pressed downwardly, opens the valve 12 (FIG. 2), and when rotated to the positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively, causes the valve member to close and open the inlet 21. for the gaseous medium adapted to be mixed with the fluid when desired.

In accordance with the present invention, the lower end of the tubular portion 27 extends downwardly and outwardly through the opening 17 in the body member 15 and has thesiphon tube 18 secured thereto for rotation.

therewith, and the lower end of the siphon tube 18 is u curved radially outwardly at 35 in the same direction in which the nozzle 32 extends.

provides the valve inlet is always at the lowermost portion of the receptacle. For example, if fluid is dispensed from the receptacle with the valve positioned as shown in FIG. 1, the receptacle is tilted towards the left and fluid flows to the lower left side of the receptacle where the lower end of the siphon tube is located. Likewise, if fluid admixed with gas is dispensed from the receptacle with the valve positioned as shown in FIG. 2, the receptacle is tilted towards the right and fluid flows to the lower right side of the receptacle where the lower end of the siphon tube is now located. Thus, when the contents of the receptacle have been almost completely dispensed, the lower end of the siphon tube is always immersed in the fluid remaining within the receptacle, whereby substantially all of the fluid can be dispensed.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple, practical and economical valve operating and siphon tube positioning arrangement which enables substantially the entire contents of a receptacle to be dispensed therefrom.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matters are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A valve for a receptacle containing a fluid to be dispensed therefrom comprising, in combination, a tubular valve member rotatably mounted on said receptacle, a head secured to an upper end of said tubular member for efiecting rotation of said tubular member, a radially extending nozzle carried by and rotatable with said head, said nozzle having a passageway in fluid flow connection with said tubular member, and a siphon tube secured to a lower end of said tubular member for rotation therewith and having a lower curved portion extending radially in the same vertical plane in which said nozzle extends, whereby as said nozzle is rotated the siphon tube rotates there- 'with and since the fluid in the receptacle seeks the lowest point in the receptacle the lower curved portion of the siphon tube follows the positioning of the fluid so as to enable substantially all of said fluid to be dispensed from said receptacle.

2. A valve for a receptacle containing a fluid to be dispensed therefrom by a gaseous medium under pressure confined within the receptacle, which valve comprises a body having upper and lower openings, a generally tubular valve member rotatably and slidably mounted in said body with its upper end extending outwardly through said upper opening and its lower end extending outwardly through said lower opening, said valve member and said body having cooperating valving means for selectively dispensing fluid from the receptacle when said valve memher is in different radial positions, a head secured to the upper end of said valve member for effecting rotation and sliding movement of said valve member to selectively operate the same, said head having a radially outwardly extending nozzle formed with a passageway in fluidflow communication with the upper end of said valve member, and a siphon tube secured to the lower end of said valve member for rotation therewith and having a lower curved portion extending radially outwardly in the same vertical plane in which said nozzle extends.

3. Dispensing apparatus comprising a receptacle containing a fluid to be dispensed therefrom by a gaseous medium under pressure confined within said receptacle; a valve at the upper end of said receptacle including a body having upper and lower openings, a generally tubular valve member rotatably and slidably mounted in said body with its upper end extending outwardly through said upper opening and its lower end extending outwardly through said lower opening, and cooperating valving means on said valve member and said body for selectively dispensing diflerent radical positions; a head secured to the upper end of said valve member for efiecting rotation and sliding movement of said valve member to selectively operate the same, said head having a radially outwardly extending nozzle formed with a passageway in fluid flow communication with the upper end of said valve member; and a siphon tube secured to the lower end of said valve member for rotation therewith and having a lower curved portion extending to the bottom of said receptacle and radially outwardly in the same vertical plane in which said nozzle extends, whereby said siphon tube follows said nozzle upon rotation of said head and its lowermost end portion always remains in the lowermost portion of said receptacle when said receptacle is tilted in the direction in which said nozzle extends to assure dispensing of substantially the entire contents of said receptacle.

4. A valve for a receptacle containing a fluid to be dispensed therefrom comprising, in a combination manually rotatable head for actuating said valve, a radially extending nozzle carried by and rotatable with said head, a siphon tube having a passageway in fluid flow connection with said nozzle and having a lower curved portion extending radially in the same vertical plane in which said nozzle extends, and means for rigidly securing said siphon tube to said head for notation with said head, whereby as. said head and nozzle are rotated the siphon tube rotates therewith and since the fluid in the receptacle seeks the lowest point in the receptacle the lower curved portion of the siphon tube follows the positioning of the fluid so as to enable substantially all of said fluid to be dispensed from said receptacle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 695,125 3/02 Sue. 1,941,898 1/34 Iddings 222394 2,920,798 1/60 Samuel. 2,968,428 1/61 Samuel. 2,991,918 7/61 Allen 239-337 X 2,995,278 8/61 Clapp. 2,997,243 8/61 Kolb. 3,061,203 10/62 Kitabayashi 239-573 X RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner. 

4. A VALVE FOR A RECEPTACLE CONTAINING A FLUID TO BE DISPENSED THEREFROM COMPRISING, IN A COMBINATION MANUALLY ROTATABLE HEAD FOR ACTUATING SAID VALVE, A RADIALLY EXTENDING NOZZLE CARRIED BY AND ROTATABLE WITH SAID HEAD, A SIPHON TUBE HAVING A PASSAGEWAY IN FLUID FLOW CONNECTION WITH SAID NOZZLE AND HAVING A LOWER CURVED PORTION EXTENDING RADIALLY IN THE SAME VERTICAL PLANE IN WHICH SAID NOZZLE EXTENDS, AND MEANS FOR RIGIDLY SECURING SAID SIPHON TUBE TO SAID HEAD FOR ROTATION WITH SAID HEAD, WHEREBY AS SAID HEAD AND NOZZLE ARE ROTATED THE SIPHON TUBE ROTATES THEREWITH AND SINCE THE FLUID IN THE RECEPTACLE SEEKS THE LOWEST POINT IN THE RECEPTACLE THE LOWER CURVED 